Radiator core structure



T. N. COFFELDER' 2,126,736

RADIATOR GORE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 9, 1936 INVENTOR.

, ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 RADIATOR CORE STRUCTURE Thomas N. Coll-elder, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application January 9, 1936, Serial No. 58,300

2 Claims.

This invention relates to radiator core structures and it is among the objects thereof to provide a structure employing a double cooling fin which comprises an assembly of the fins and circulating tubing in such manner that the fins and tubing are self-centering and interact in a manher to facilitate the assembly thereof in manufacture, and to constitute a strong core structure of maximum cooling efii'ciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a radiator core utilizing a double cooling fin which is assembled between the circulating tubes in a manner to obtain maximum contact between the fins and of the fins with the cooling tubes, and to assemble the fins and tubes in a manner to render the structure resilient thereby preventing rupture due to freezing of the circulating fluid therein.

Still a further object of the invention is to assemble the fins between corrugated walls of the' circulating tubes, the grooves of the corrugations being relatively shallow and constituting anchorage abutments for the fins. The corrugations of the tubes are shallow tonot interfere with the flow of the cooling medium thereby largely eliminating the possibility of clogging.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a section of radiator core embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 a front elevation of a housing or sheathing in which the fins are assembled and the outer walls of which form the walls of the circulating passage when assembled;

Fig. 4 a front elevational view of the assembled fin elements;

Fig. 5 a single fin member;

Fig. 6 a plan View of the assembled section shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. '7 a cross-sectional view of a portion of the tubing and plan view of a fin assembly.

With reference to Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive of the drawing, the numeral l designates a corrugated strip which is joined by folding or lapping the edges as indicated by the numeral 2 to form a tube. The corrugations 3 of strips I are arranged on opposite walls of the tube to receive a pair of fins 4 which are placed together as shown in Fig. 4 and inserted between the corrugations of the tubes 3 in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The staggering of the corrugations 3 of the outer sheeting prevents the nesting of the fins 4 and causes them to assume the shape of Fig. 1 with the points of the fins engaging the grooves of the corrugations as designated by the 5 numeral 5 and also each other at the points 55 and l. Thus each fin contacts the corrugated portions of the sheathing I and at a multiple of points on the corrugating fin to obtain a maximum contact for the exchange of heat between 10 the walls I of the circulating tubes designated by the numeral 8, Fig. 6, and the air cooled fins.

The fins 4 are in the shape of a saw-tooth having an angular face 9 and a horizontal face l0 which, in the assembled form of the device, as shown in Fig. 1, provides rigidity and strength.

When assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the tubes and fins are secured together when the assembled structure is dipped in a bath of solder and the assembled elements form a series of cor- 0 rugating tubes 8 which are connected at the top and. bottom to a source of water which is circulated from the cooling jacket of the engine through the radiator tubes in the usual manner.

The advantages of the above described construction are as follows:

The plurality of fins are assembled by the simple step of inserting them between the corrugations of the outer walls of the circulating tubes. They will always be in the proper contacting position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, thus maintaining a maximum contact between the tubes and fins. The assembled structure is resilient and yielding to pressures developed in the circulating tubes as by the freezing of the circulating medium thereby preventing rupture and subsequent leakage.

As shown in Fig. 7, the tubing l is indented at l I a distance from the edge and the fins are similarly indented as shown at l2 so that when assembled, the indents I2 will register with the indents I. This is provided to align and maintain the alignment of the fins with the wall of the tubing.

The fin arrangement when assembled breaks up the cooling air and increases the radiating surface, resulting in increased efficiency of heat exchange between the tubes and fins. By means of the staggered relation of the corrugations of the fins and tubes, a relatively shallow corrugation in the tubes is permissible which results in an open flow passage of the circulating medium having less tendency to clog.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A radiator core structure comprising corrugated tubes in spaced relation and cooling fins disposed between adjacent tubes, said fins being assembled in pairs and disposed in the corrugations of the tube walls with the peaks of the corrugations of the fins contacting the grooves of the wall of the tube on one side and the straight portions of the adjacent fin on the other side.

2. A radiator core structure comprising corrugated tubes of elongated cross-sectional shape with corrugations on opposite walls, corrugated cooling fins of saw-tooth shape assembled in pairs inside of the tubular members, the pitch of the fins being the same as the pitch of the corrugations of the tube, said fin corrugations having an angular and vertical wall between adjacent corrugations which, when assembled, produce a spacing of the fins relative to each other while maintaining contact with the corrugations of the tubing.

THOMAS N. COFFELDER. 

